River City Stakes

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The River City Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for horses age three and older over a distance of one and one eighth miles on the turf held annually in November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event offers a purse of $300,000.

ClassGrade III
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1978 (as River City Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Quick facts Class, Location ...
River City Stakes
ClassGrade III
LocationChurchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Inaugurated1978 (as River City Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
WebsiteChurchill Downs
Race information
Distance1+1⁄8 miles
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds and older
WeightBase weights with allowances:
4-year-olds and up: 125 lbs.
3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
Purse$300,000 (2022)
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History

The name of the event is after a nickname for the city of Louisville where river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico provided the early settlement of Louisville as it grew as a portage site.

The event was inaugurated on 30 October 1978, opening day of Churchill Downs Fall meeting as the River City Handicap as a six furlong dirt race and was won by Inca Roca who won his fifth race from fourteen starts in a time of 1:102⁄5.[1]

The event was run over six furlongs until 1981 and then increased to 1 mile.[2] In 1987 the event was scheduled on the turf over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles.[2] The following year the distance of the event increased to 1+1⁄8 miles but it was moved off the turf and onto the main track due to inclement weather.[3]

The American Graded Stakes Committee classified the event as Grade III in 1996[4] and was won by the 2/1 favourite Same Old Wish.[5] Same Old Wish would win the event again the following year as a seven-year-old.[6]

The event was run as a handicap prior to 2019.[7]

The race was not run from 2020 to 2021 and in 2022 when the event was resumed it was moved to the dirt track due to the state of turf track and was downgraded to Listed status.[8]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+1⁄8 miles: 1:45.58 – Wolfie's Dynaghost (2025)
  • 1 mile (dirt): 1:36.20 - Taylor's Special (1986)

Margins:

  • 7 lengths – Go With the Times (1979)

Most wins:

  • 2 – Same Old Wish (1996, 1997)
  • 2 – Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) (2001, 2002)
  • 2 – Mr. Misunderstood (2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner:

  • 2 – Friendship Stable (1996, 1997)
  • 2 – Erdenheim Farm (2001, 2002)
  • 2 – Flurry Racing Stables (2018, 2019)

Most wins by a jockey:

  • 6 – Pat Day (1982, 1984, 1986, 1991, 1999, 2000)

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

More information Year, Winner ...
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
River City Stakes
2025 Wolfie's Dynaghost 7 Luis Saez Brian A. Lynch Woodslane Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:45.58 $300,000 III [9]
2024 Battle of Normandy 4 Luan Machado Claude R. McGaughey III West Point Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.79 $290,500 III [10]
2023 Smokin' T 4 John R. Velazquez Claude R. McGaughey III DATTT Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.66 $289,858 III [11]
2022 Hozier 4 Julien R. Leparoux Rodolphe Brisset Storyteller Racing 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.67 $292,500 Listed Off turf[8]
2020–2021 Race not held
2019 Mr. Misunderstood 5 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Flurry Racing Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.31 $175,000 III [12]
River City Handicap
2018 Mr. Misunderstood 4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Flurry Racing Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:55.94 $100,000 III [13]
2017 Shining Copper 7 Corey J. Lanerie Michael J. Maker Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey 1+1⁄8 miles 1:52.78 $100,000 III [14]
2016 Thatcher Street 5 Brian Hernandez Jr Ian R. Wilkes Randall L. Bloch, Phil Milner, John Seiler & Amtietan 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.45 $100,000 III [15]
2015 Heart to Heart (CAN) 4 Julien R. Leparoux Brian A. Lynch Terry Hamilton 1+1⁄8 miles 1:52.16 $100,000 III [16]
2014 Villandry 5 Julien R. Leparoux Charles LoPresti Gainesway Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.54 $114,000 III [17]
2013 Potomac River 4 Juan P. Vargas Sergio Baez Maribel Ruelas 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.20 $116,300 III [18]
2012 Keep Up 5 Miguel Mena Alex Clarkson Mill Ridge Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.05 $115,700 III [19]
2011 Blues Street 7 Robby Albarado Eddie Kenneally Anstu Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.72 $111,000 III [20]
2010 Battle of Hastings (GB) 4 Joel Rosario Gregory Fox Mike House 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.90 $111,200 III [21]
2009 Rahystrada 5 Leandro D. Goncalves Byron G. Hughes Robert E. Courtney Jr. 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.18 $112,700 III [22]
2008 Karelian 6 William D. Troilo George R. Arnold II Green Lantern Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.06 $114,400 III Dead heat[23]
Demarcation 4 Jesus Lopez Castanon Paul J. McGee Amerman Racing Stables
2007 Thorn Song 4 Kent J. Desormeaux Dale L. Romans Zayat Stables 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.37 $227,400 III [24]
2006 Bayeux 5 John R. Velazquez Gerard A. Butler Michael Tabor 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.77 $168,900 III [25]
2005 America Alive 4 Robby Albarado Neil J. Howard Mill House 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.78 $167,700 III [26]
2004 G P Fleet 4 Jose R. Martinez Jr. Steven B. Flint Richard Bertram & Elaine Klein 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.26 $174,300 III [27]
2003 Hard Buck (BRZ) 4 Brice Blanc Kenneth G. McPeek Team Victory II 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.60 $172,800 III [28]
2002 Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) 5 Robby Albarado John R. S. Fisher Erdenheim Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.44 $175,650 III [29]
2001 Dr. Kashnikow (CAN) 4 Robby Albarado John R. S. Fisher Erdenheim Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:47.90 $177,300 III [30]
2000 Brahms 3 Pat Day W. Elliott Walden Tom Van Meter 1+1⁄8 miles 1:48.09 $180,450 III [31]
1999 Comic Strip 4 Pat Day Neil J. Howard William S. Farish III, G. Watts Humphrey Jr. & James Elkins 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.71 $171,150 III [32]
1998 Wild Event 5 Shane Sellers Louis M. Goldfine Arthur I. Appleton 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.18 $187,800 III [33]
1997 Same Old Wish 7 Shane Sellers Robert Barbara Friendship Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.90 $171,900 III [6]
1996 Same Old Wish 6 Shane Sellers Robert Barbara Friendship Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.21 $113,100 III [5]
1995 Homing Pigeon 5 Randy Romero Harvey L. Vanier Nancy A. Vanier 1+1⁄8 miles 1:51.00 $112,800 Listed [34]
1994 Lindon Lime 4 Shane Sellers W. Elliott Walden Frank Mansell 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.30 $116,400 Listed [35]
1993 Secreto's Hideaway 4 Willie Martinez Akiko M. Gothard Mickey Liber 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.83 $111,800 Listed Off turf[36]
1992 Cozzene's Prince (CAN) 5 Dave Penna Tino Attard Kirby Canada Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:49.31 $112,400 Listed [37]
1991 Spending Record 4 Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Moyglare Stud Farm 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.34 $115,500 Listed [38]
1990 Silver Medallion 4 Craig Perret Philip M. Hauswald Brereton C. Jones 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.80 $87,000 [39]
1989 Spark O'Dan 4 Joe M. Johnson Gary G. Hartlage William S. Greene 1+1⁄8 miles 1:50.80 $85,275 [40]
1988 Ile de Jinsky 4 Eugene J. Sipus Jr. William C. Thomas Finish Line Stable 1+1⁄8 miles 1:53.20 $68,310 Off turf[3]
1987 Kings River II (IRE) 5 Mike E. Smith William I. Mott Bertram Firestone 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.40 $57,150 [41]
River City Stakes
1986 Taylor's Special 5 Pat Day William I. Mott William Lucas 1 mile 1:36.20 $46,165 [42]
1985 Banner Bob 6 K. Keith Allen Jerome J. Sarner Jr. William J. & Sharon Walsh 1 mile 1:36.60 $44,800 [43]
1984 Eminency 4 Pat Day Claude R. McGaughey III Happy Valley Farm 1 mile 1:38.40 $28,350 [44]
1983 Northern Majesty 3 Sam Maple Raymond S. Lawrence Jr. Leslie Combs II & C. C. Green 1 mile 1:37.00 $28,450 [45]
River City Handicap
1982 Pleasing Times 3 Pat Day Joseph M. Bollero Tom Gentry 1 mile 1:38.20 $31,250 [46]
1981 Suliman 4 Larry Snyder Robert E. Holthus Joyce Starr & Dixie Holthus 6 furlongs 1:10.60 $30,950 [47]
1980 Tinsley's Hope 6 Julio C. Espinoza William C. Thomas Henry Pace 6 furlongs 1:11.00 $29,300 [48]
1979 Go With the Times 3 Gerland Gallitano Joseph M. Bollero Russell Reineman 6 furlongs 1:10.20 $25,000 [49]
1978 Inca Roca 5 Julio C. Espinoza Earl J. Puckett Charles Jarrell 6 furlongs 1:10.40 $27,475 [1]
Close

Legend:
  Dirt   Turf

See also

References

External links

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